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Tuesday, January 1, 2019

New House Journal: Hearth Room, Wood Blinds, and a Dated Master Bath

Hi Everyone, I thought I'd check in and let you know what we've been up to this last week or so. We had a great Christmas, but I've just been "off kilter" with this long drawn out mini renovation and move. Since we've only been able to work at the house on weekends, it's taken us since the end of September to get where we are today. We started the Big Clean and moved a few odds and ends this last weekend. Thank Goodness, we're almost there.

(the wires are the cable tv box, and I'm hoping my big armoire will fit there

to house the tv and storage. That wall looks pretty bare right now.)

We have repainted every room in this house except for the Sunroom. The walls in the main part of the house were a pinkish/mauvish/gray, I tried to make it work but in the end I decided I just couldn't live with it and started looking for a Griege.

Stone Hearth by Ben Moore

I tried Agreeable Gray wanting that to work since I used it in the Laundry and Dining Room and Entry, since these rooms all have a lot of natural light. But in the Hearth Room Agreeable Gray had a dark greenish cast. The Hearth Room doesn't have any direct lighting since it's in the interior part of the house. I couldn't do the pink tones and couldn't do the green. I ended up using Stone Hearth by Benjamin Moore at 50% strength. It's a little more tan than I wanted but it works well with the rest of the room colors.

I wanted to find an area rug for the Hearth Room that matched the walls and contrasted with the dark wood flooring. The new slipcovered sofa and chair are more creamy colored, not a bright white, so the rug needed to work with those hues.

I bought 2 runners for our current home several years ago from Overstock that I really love. The sizing was a little odd for their area rugs, so I went with the larger 7'6 x 9'6 size, but it was just too big for the seating area in the Hearth Room. I needed a rug for the Casual Dining Area that will be in the Sunroom under the white Farm Table. We moved the rug out there and I think it will work well. It has the same colors as the Sunroom walls and brick. The tile out there is expansive, so an area rug will help break up the space. I reordered a smaller size for the seating area, same pattern, it should be here next week.

I ordered white Bali Wood Blinds for the Master, Guest Bedroom, and Laundry/Bath. Bali had a 25% off sale that ended on 12/18 so the prices were good. I waited to order blinds for the 3rd Bedroom, that will be my office, thinking I had more time with the sale. Evidently Bali manufacturing goes into hibernation after Christmas, so I'm hoping to get the rest of the blinds by the end of January. These photos are with my phone so the light coming thru the windows and the ceiling fan is really harsh.

A small space/big impact project was re-papering the Master Bath. It's a teensy space that had a reno in the early 2000's. The tile is brown, tan, and more brown, and it's very dated. We've already gone over budget at this house, so we decided to live with the bathrooms for now and consider a reno down the road. Staying real here, friends.

Wallpaper is astronomically high priced now. I haven't wallpapered anything since the Dining Room 2 houses ago. At that point wallpaper was still plentiful and trendy, with lot's of choices. Now you're lucky to find anything to pick from around here. The design center where I buy paint had a few rolls on hand, but my options were slim. I had wanted to do a grass cloth in tan, but it was going to take weeks to get it in and cost around $500... ahhhh no, not for a dated bathroom. So I settled on this gold/bronze metallic stripe that was discounted, and actually think it turned out pretty well.

Below is the listing photo of cream colored flocked paper, that was literally peeling off the walls. My husband just couldn't live with it and I found him ripping it off one day early on when we were working on the basement. I told him he would have to help me wallpaper then (the walls were bad, so paint wasn't an option). He said he would be happy to if we could just get rid of that paper. He's really happy with it now, so one renovation put off till later.

Listing Photo

Here are a couple of similar tiled baths
Pinterest Bath Tile circa 2003?

Pinterest Bath Tile circa 2003?

I have a few more little projects to share with you later. I just wanted to check in with you all to share the progress. We're going to move in stages. The first load of furniture will be rooms we don't use daily like the Basement, Dining Room, and Hubby's office. Then there will be the main furniture in the house like our Master Bedroom, Living Room, and my office. Who knows, but the big thing is that we're not pushing ourselves to get this done in a hurry.

I considered doing a post covering this last year, but the truth of it is that I was in terrible shape healthwise because of my heart, then had the heart surgery in June and right after that the aneurysm and emergency surgery that just about sent me on to heaven. THEN deciding on this move. All in all not much I want to rehash or revisit. But Hey, I'm always an optimist when it comes to the New Year. It sure doesn't do any good to worry about what will happen. We trust God and depend on Him. I know His plans are for our good and not for harm, so we keep on keeping on. (insert Happy Face here). Have a fun New Year's Eve!

After a pointedly negative comment a while back, please don't complain in a comment if you don't like my posts or my house, or my decisions... or if they are confusing. (I'm confused enough as it is) We are just trying to do our best to stick with a modest budget and put together an updated older home. I'm so grateful for all of you who are supportive and caring friends. Thankyou for being there!

20 comments:

I love that wallpaper in the bathroom.And I know what you mean about paint looking one way and turning out another. I fell in love with French Canvas from Savvy Southern Style's home. Thank Goodness I got a sample can. It looks really green on my walls. Not the shade I thought.I also love your things I have seen in other posts. Don't let the haters get you down. Happy and Healthy New Year.

Debra, that rug looks wonderful in your sun room!! Perfect colors!! Did I understand correctly that there are no windows in your living room??And honestly, I don't mind your master bath at all, as long as it is all Clorox clean!! You can lighten it up with white and your special touches!! Love the new wallpaper too...God bless you abundantly in the new year....xoxoxo

Happy new year! The Hearth room is open concept with the kitchen; one big long room. The sunroom was an addition that causes the Hearth Room to be without direct windows. There are large openings to the entry and sunroom, but no direct windows. The formal living room is at the front of the house with tons of windows. This is just a smaller adjacent tv spot in the interior of the house. Before the sunroom addition it had large sliding doors to a patio, but they are gone now and an opening to the sunroom is there instead.

That's progress! I'm still amazed at what you've accomplished in this past year, Debra. I love the sunroom, and your TV room is going to be very cozy. I really enjoy reading through your decision dilemmas, so let the haters hate. Until they've been there (whether it's sickness, reno decisions or moving process), they WON'T get it. Happy New Year!

It's exciting to see your choices as you settle into your new home - and I'm with you on the bathroom, apparently my guest bath was renovated around the same time as I have the same beige/brown stone like tile thing going on. But it's not in my budget at the moment to do anything about it, so I just work around it! Happy New Year!!

Debra,WoW!What progress!If you're already bringing in the furniture,that only leaves the fun part. . .stylin'!So sorry to hear about last year's health issues.I do believe that 2019 is going to be the happiest of New Year's!Pat

Debra you have done so well with everything. With having so many intense health issues you should be so proud of all you have accomplished. No worries on the ugly comments. Hey these are our homes where we live and we share to share. I always feel is you do not like something than move on and do not be rude. Peeps sometimes!!!! I love the rug you found and I love everything you have done. Good lesson on paint colors too. I have been down that road where I painted walls and then when night came they looked green. So I learned my lesson to get swatches and put them up on the wall for all the different times of day and evening. Happy New Year sweet friend. I see lots of good things for you in 2019. Prayers for you that your health will continue to improve.Hugs,Kris

I am sorry there was a negative comment made......I live in your area and what you've gone through these last few years has just broken my heart! The move for those of us watching and reading was scary for you and your health but by going slow your making it work and a good project is good for the soul and fun for us to read about! Thank you for sharing it all with us.....forever a true fan.

oh thanks so very much. It's been super scary for me for sure. God has been the One to enable me to undertake this big task. He's been faithful to encourage me and strengthen me physically and emotionally. The only way we agreed upon doing this was the knowledge that my husband and I had that this was God's plan for us. Otherwise we wouldn't have even considered this move. I really appreciate your comment! Happy New Year!

Paint can look so different from room to room, and it's amazing how the light from your windows varies from room to room too. I like to star away from anything too trendy especially when it comes to bathrooms and kitchens. The remodel costs are so high. That's why I like to stay with the classics because what trends I may like now, I will hate in a few years.

Im so sorry someone made Negative comments. why Do people feel they have that right.? What I love about following different blogs is cause Everyone is Different in their taste of what we all like. so Decorate the way you like with what you LOVE.Thats what makes this YOUR Blog. God bless you and i hope your Health improves.